


i'm giving up (on you)

by feduphufflepuff



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Blood, Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Needles, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Torture, kind of, please tell me what other tags to use, poor adrien...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:59:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21590389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feduphufflepuff/pseuds/feduphufflepuff
Summary: Adrien finds out about his father... it doesn't end well.
Comments: 177
Kudos: 282





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please heed the warnings and take care of yourselves! This fic is not complete, and I'm not sure when it will be completed. Inspired by art that I commissioned from solsticedraws on tumblr!

He hadn’t meant to spy.

He’d just wanted to see his father, maybe even talk to him in person. It had been so long since they’d had a real conversation. Wary of bothering him while he was working, Adrien had peeked through the crack of the door before entering the room. Seeing his father walk through a secret door behind his mother’s portrait wasn’t exactly what he’d expected to see. 

Adrien couldn’t stop himself from investigating further, despite Plagg’s protests. It was easier than it should’ve been to follow without being seen, easier than it should’ve been to watch from the shadows as his father _transformed_ …

No. 

Adrien’s heart was beating impossibly fast as he watched his father— _Hawkmoth_ —pace. The villain mumbled to himself for a moment before he stilled, seemingly sensing something. Adrien tried to swallow the lump in his throat, tried to take in a breath, but the air was stuck in his lungs. He couldn’t focus, _couldn’t believe_ —how was this possible? 

Hawkmoth jerked around, glaring directly at Adrien where he crouched in the shadows. Before Adrien could suck in a breath, Hawkmoth was on him, two hands fisted in his shirt. He lifted Adrien up and pushed him into the wall, eyes narrowed. Adrien’s ears were ringing, his head pounding from slamming against the wall behind him, and when Hawkmoth yelled at him, he wondered for a moment why Hawkmoth sounded so much like his father. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Adrien stared into his father’s eyes—his father, his father, _his father_ —and felt tears start to run down his cheeks. Hawkmoth slammed Adrien against the wall again, his face inches from Adrien’s. The ringing wouldn’t stop. 

“Answer me!”

Adrien tried to answer, but he couldn’t get anything out. This couldn’t be happening, this _couldn’t be_ …

“You?” Adrien’s voice shook. Whether it was from fear, anger, or something else entirely, he didn’t know. “Father, how could you?”

Hawkmoth paused, just for a moment, and Adrien took the chance to shove him away. Hawkmoth stumbled back and Adrien pushed past him, running blindly into the darkness. A few seconds passed before he heard footsteps echoing behind him. Plagg appeared, flying just ahead of him.

“Adrien, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know!” Adrien saw a dim light ahead, filtering through a door in the distance. “This doesn’t make sense, Plagg. How could my father be Hawkmoth?” 

“Shouldn’t we transform? Or try to contact Ladybug?”

Adrien shook his head, brows furrowing. The light was getting closer.

“This has to be a mistake, Plagg. It doesn’t make any sense! It’s got to be a trick.”

Adrien ran through the door and scanned the room, hoping to find somewhere to hide. He ran down a catwalk—an irony he didn’t miss—looking for something, anything that he could hide behind. As he neared the end, he spotted a circular platform covered in plants. Maybe he could hide amongst the…

Adrien staggered, stopping several feet from a glass-covered pod. Plagg was talking to him, but Adrien could only hear the ringing in his ears. Inside the pod, looking no different from the last day he saw her, was Adrien’s mother. 

She looked almost as if she were sleeping, a bouquet of flowers resting in her hands. Time seemed to stop and stretch all at once. He didn’t notice Plagg disappearing again. 

Adrien saw more than felt the hand on his shoulder that turned him away from his mother. 

Hawkmoth studied Adrien for a few seconds before the anger on his face melted away, leaving his expression blank. He pulled Adrien close—a hug, his father was _hugging him_ —and Adrien could feel a chin resting in his hair. After a long moment of silence, Hawkmoth spoke.

“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for her.” He pulled away, holding Adrien at arm’s length and watching him carefully. “You understand. Don’t you, Adrien?”

Adrien’s lungs were still stuttering, but finally his mind was beginning to clear. His father was Hawkmoth. His father was Hawkmoth, and he was trying to—what? Save his mother? Using the miraculous… 

“I do understand, Father.” Adrien stepped out of Hawkmoth’s reach and took a shuddering breath. “But this is wrong.”

“What?” Hawkmoth snarled. “Don’t you want her back? Don’t you miss her at all?”

Hawkmoth advanced on him, jaw set and fists clenched at his sides. Adrien flinched, stumbling as he continued to back away. He bumped into something behind him, realizing in horror that it was the pod his mother lay in. He shivered, trying frantically to think of the right things to say, but Hawkmoth was getting closer and closer. In a moment of desperation, he closed his eyes and—

“Plagg, claws out.” 

When Adrien opened his eyes, his father stood inches away from him, staring down at him with an unreadable expression. His lips were slightly parted, eyes shimmering with something Adrien couldn’t name. 

“Father… please. You don’t need to do this. You’re hurting people. It’s not right, no matter what your reason is!” Adrien prayed that this would be enough, that _he_ would be enough. “ _Of course,_ I miss her, but… she wouldn’t want you to do this.”

Hawkmoth’s eyes softened, and for a moment Adrien felt hope flutter in his chest. Seconds passed as they stared at each other, and then the silence was broken.

“After all this time… After everything—everything that I’ve… Chat Noir… my own son.” Adrien’s eyes widened as a hand clamped down on his throat. “My own son was the one standing in my way.”

Adrien panicked, his hands scratching uselessly at his father’s arm. Hawkmoth used his free hand to secure Adrien’s right wrist, squeezing it painfully. Adrien gasped for air, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He was going to pass out. _Or worse._ Would his father… _kill him?_

Hawkmoth let go and Adrien fell to his knees, but his relief was short-lived. His ring— _the miraculous_ —was tugged from his finger before he could react. 

“Father,” Adrien coughed, holding a hand gently to his throat. “Please d—” 

A backhand to the face sent Adrien to his hands and knees, and he wondered briefly if the ringing in his ears would ever stop. Hawkmoth’s hand gripped him by his hair, snatching his head up. Adrien studied his father’s eyes, searching desperately for any hint of regret. 

“Who is Ladybug?” Hawkmoth snarled. 

Adrien swallowed thickly, wincing at his sore throat. “I-I don’t know.”

Hawkmoth smiled bitterly. “We’ll see about that.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: torture, blood, manipulation

You could only scan your surroundings so many times before you had them memorized.

A dim lightbulb hung from the low ceiling. Bare walls surrounded him. Made of concrete, he thought, but he couldn’t tell for sure. A chair sat in the corner to his right, facing the bolted metal door to his left. A bucket sat nearby. He couldn’t stand to look at it.

It was always cold, the air always stagnant. The floor as hard and unforgiving beneath him as it was the first day he was thrown in this godforsaken room. His neck itched beneath the metal collar, but he didn’t bother trying to scratch it. Too raw. The collar kept him chained to a metal loop sticking out of the floor. 

Only the distant sound of water dripping somewhere nearby reminded him that anything else existed outside of this room. That, and the visits from _him_.

Adrien’s eyes flew open, his heart pounding in his throat, when he heard the harsh sound of the door scraping against the floor. 

“Hello again, son.” 

Adrien swallowed painfully, trying to back away. The chain dragged loudly against the floor and Hawkmoth tutted, shaking his head and grinning. 

“Now, now. None of that.” 

Hawkmoth crouched down and grabbed the chain, yanking it toward him. Adrien was pulled forward and cried out, the collar digging into his neck. Hawkmoth grabbed him by the hair and pushed his face into the floor. Adrien felt the collar unlock and fall away, and then he was being dragged back to the chair.

That goddamn chair.

Hawkmoth gripped Adrien tightly by the throat as he secured him to the chair again. Whimpers slipped out as the zip ties cut into the skin of his wrists and ankles. He was shaking—but, then again, he was always shaking, wasn’t he? 

When Hawkmoth released him, Adrien didn’t bother trying to free himself from the ties. It wouldn’t work. He glanced at the dried blood that had crusted over his wrists, ran and dried down the side of the chair and onto the floor. 

It never worked.

Hawkmoth reached into his suit and pulled out the IV. Adrien winced as the needle pressed into his arm, a new bag of clear liquid attached to it and hung on a hook in the wall.

“Now.” Hawkmoth paced in front of Adrien, swinging his staff lazily. After a few seconds he stopped and faced him. “Who is Ladybug.” 

Adrien avoided Hawkmoth’s gaze, setting his jaw and trying to prepare for what would come. 

The staff cracked across Adrien’s face. A few seconds passed, the only sound Adrien’s heavy breathing, and another blow caught him in the shin. He cried out, eyes watering as he felt a surge of helplessness rise in his chest. 

“I don’t know,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Please, I don’t know!”

Hawkmoth didn’t respond, only backhanded Adrien before wiping his gloved hand against his pants. It left a smudge of red, and Adrien’s ears were ringing, and his head was spinning, and he didn’t speak again.

It was pointless. Hawkmoth would never believe him.

-

After what felt like hours, Hawkmoth left the room. He came back too soon, carrying a duffel bag. Adrien tried to focus his eyes, but he couldn’t. Hawkmoth was reaching in the bag for something, and Adrien was drifting, but then a slap brought him back to the room. He blinked rapidly, struggling to take in what he was seeing. Something was glinting in the dim light in front of him, and someone was talking. He tried to focus on the voice.

“…change your tune. Let’s see, shall we?” 

_What?_

A sharp pain blossomed across Adrien’s chest. Someone was screaming, someone was crying, and he couldn’t focus. A flash of a serrated knife in front of his eyes, a cruel smile. He wasn’t here, _this wasn’t happening_ , and more pain swept across his forearm, across his stomach, down the side of his jaw—stripes of jagged, stinging pain across his legs—what was happening? Cold—he was cold—but there were spots of warmth, and he was seeing red, too much red, and—

This wasn’t happening. _What wasn’t happening?_ Ladybug. Ladybug, _where was Ladybug?_

He was screaming. He was screaming, and he was alone, and _he wasn’t alone, he wished he was alone_ , he couldn’t _think_ —

There was a moment of stillness and Adrien tried to speak, but nothing came out. His voice was shot, probably gone from the screaming, and then he was laughing silently. A slap jerked his head to the side, followed by more questions he couldn’t answer.

Blood dripped from his mouth, but still he shook with laughter. 

-

Adrien stopped reacting to anything but the pain. There was only the pain and the cold and the constant thirst. He was beyond hunger, but _oh god the thirst_. 

He had no way to measure time except by where he was in the room—either strapped in the chair or chained to the floor. Everything blurred together, moments of clarity peppered throughout the visits from his father. 

Hawkmoth. 

He seemed to be growing more and more desperate as time went on. It was only after the blowtorch didn’t get him any answers from Adrien that he stopped asking questions at all. 

Everything that came after that seemed to be for its own sake.

-

Adrien wasn’t sure how long it had been since the last visit. He floated in and out of consciousness, and every waking moment was hazy and confusing. When there was finally something, something _different_ , he wasn’t sure if it was a dream or if it was really happening. 

A butterfly. 

It was just a few feet from him, wings fluttering jerkily as it hovered in the air. He’d seen an akuma plenty of times before, but somehow this one seemed off. _Was this really happening?_

It perched on the chain that attached him to the floor, and Adrien heard a voice. _That voice._

_Adrien._

No.

_Adrien. Don’t you want freedom?_

The whispers curled around him, pulling him from the darkness and forcing everything into focus. His whole body pulsed in agony, he was too hot and too cold, and he could feel everything and nothing all at once. Something like a moan slipped out of his throat, and he tasted only blood.

_Don’t you want the pain to stop?_

Adrien took a shuddering breath and closed his eyes. He had the odd feeling that this had all happened before. 

_Don’t you want to see her again?_

Adrien’s eyes flew open and his breath stuck in his throat. This _had_ happened before. Something steeled in his chest and the akuma lurched back, flying away and disappearing through the door. He looked down, noticing the IV in his arm. When had that been put in?

Adrien pulled the needle out of his arm sluggishly, watching as a trickle of blood flowed to the floor in front of him. He wondered how long he’d been here, wondered how many times he’d managed to resist the akuma’s pull. 

He wondered if she even knew he was missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so... poor Adrien amirite?
> 
> Props to [s0lsticedraws](https://s0lsticedraws.tumblr.com/) for convincing me to write a second chapter
> 
> I love comments! Thanks so much for reading <3


	3. Chapter 3

Chat Noir didn’t show up for patrol. Again.

It wasn’t unusual for him to miss a patrol every now and then, and it had been pretty quiet lately anyway—no akumas for two whole weeks—but Chat had never missed so many in a row. Marinette waited for an hour before going on without him.

She patrolled the entire city once. Twice. Three times. She scanned the streets below, looking for any signs of trouble. There were none. Every time a flicker of movement caught her eye, she hoped to turn and see Chat lounging in the shadows. Every time, she was disappointed.

Marinette took a deep breath and tried to shake the tightness building up in her chest. It was a typical night in Paris. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and there was no reason to think otherwise. So why did everything feel so… off?

\---

Marinette yawned, starting to regret her late night of fruitless patrols. She could feel herself nodding off, Mrs. Bustier’s voice fading into nothing more than background noise. An elbow in the side made her jerk upright.

“Wake up, girl,” Alya whispered. “Or is it too hard to keep your eyes open when you don’t have Adrien to stare at?”

Marinette frowned, feeling her face heat up. 

“Seriously, what’s up? You’re more out of it than usual.” 

“Just had trouble sleeping last night, that’s all.” How many times had she used _that_ excuse? Alya seemed satisfied though, turning back to Mrs. Bustier and taking notes.

Marinette tried focusing on the lesson, but her mind kept wandering. She thought about the design she had been working on, the pastries her papa had put in the window this morning, whether she had passed that test yesterday... Marinette’s gaze flickered from her notebook to Mrs. Bustier, and then to Adrien’s desk. She wondered how long he was going to be in Rome for that photoshoot. Alya smirked beside her, making Marinette’s blush deepen. She turned back to her notebook. Blank, aside from some doodles of dresses.

She’d have to borrow Alya’s notes later to copy.

\---

It was one of those rare days when Marinette was actually up on time. She sat in the kitchen, munching on some toast, when her father turned the volume up on the television. 

“Coming to you live from Rue Cremieux, I’m Nadja Chamack with the latest akuma attack. As you can see behind me, Chat Noir is holding his ground.”

Marinette could see what looked like a huge plant monster on the screen. The monster was rooted into the ground, its vines whipping around its body violently. The camera zoomed in to reveal Chat Noir darting between the monster’s vines with ease. Marinette jumped up, shouting some excuse to her parents about wanting to get to school early. 

In less than two minutes Ladybug was on the scene, but by the time she arrived both the monster and Chat were gone. She looked around to see where they had gone, but there was no damage, no trail of any kind to follow.

Marinette ran up to Nadja and pulled her aside.

“Where did they go?” 

“Who?”

“Chat Noir and the akumatized victim!”

Nadja gave her a funny look and gestured to her left. A man stood holding a potted plant with a blanket draped over his shoulders. He seemed confused.

“Chat Noir already took care of the akuma with his cataclysm.” 

Marinette’s eyebrow furrowed. Chat had never taken on a monster without her, much less used his cataclysm on an akuma. It seemed like he hadn’t even thought to wait for her.

“Where did he go?”

“It all happened so fast, Ladybug. We didn’t even see which way Chat Noir went after he got rid of the akuma.” Nadja shrugged apologetically.

Marinette chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, thinking. Something very strange was going on… but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. She needed to get going or she’d be late to school. She was sure Chat would have a good reason for doing what he did, but with him being absent from patrols so often lately, and now this…

People were already crowding around them, everyone wanting to get close to Ladybug now that the danger was gone. A camera flash snapped Marinette out of her thoughts.

With a quick thank you, she swung away.

\---

Marinette picked halfheartedly at her lunch as her classmates chattered around her. She couldn’t stop thinking about Chat, about how long it had been since they had spoken or even seen each other in person. The night after the plant monster’s attack Marinette had gone online to watch the footage the news had taken of Chat. She’d watched it over and over, but it gave her no answers to any of her questions. 

She was getting nowhere with her thoughts, even now. But it was impossible not to think about him—especially with everyone constantly talking about the attack. 

It had been a week since then, and Alya was still theorizing about why Chat suddenly seemed to be working alone. Nino was right there with her, hyped up from how “totally awesome” it had been to see Chat Noir take on the plant monster by himself. Marinette stabbed a tomato with her fork. Yeah. Awesome. She sighed and tried to block out the conversation.

“…wish Adrien was here.” Nino said. “He’d get a kick out of this.” 

Alya hummed in agreement, shoving a fry in her mouth and not bothering to swallow before speaking again. “Is he seriously still sick?”

“Yeah, apparently he picked something up in Rome and the doctor put him on bedrest for at least two more weeks. It must be really bad—he can’t talk on the phone, and he hasn’t been responding to my texts. Must be exhausted.”

“Maybe we should send someone with a get well card.” Alya smiled and stared intently at Marinette.

Marinette looked up to see both of them staring at her and froze. “…what?” 

Alya laughed and picked up another fry.

\---

“I don’t know, Tikki. I just feel like… like there’s something wrong.”

Marinette was sprawled across her bed, her sketchbook long forgotten by her side. Tikki floated in front of her and gave her a soft look. Two more akuma attacks had occurred this month in the same fashion as before—with Chat Noir apparently taking care of everything before Ladybug could even make it on the scene. 

She blew out a frustrated breath. “Why is he avoiding me? Why is he fighting without me? And since when does he use his cataclysm on akumas? The whole thing is just—ugh!” 

“It is strange. Nothing like this has ever happened before.” Tikki looked at Marinette with concern before glancing at the clock. 1:26 a.m. “We’ll talk about it more tomorrow, Marinette. You should sleep.”

Marinette sighed, not bothering to argue. She _was_ exhausted. Once they said their goodnights and Marinette turned the light off it was mere minutes before Tikki heard her snoring lightly.

Tikki hovered over Marinette, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath. She lingered for a minute or two before phasing out of the room. Normally soaring through the sky made her feel an indescribable type of freedom, but tonight she felt her anxiety rising with every passing second. 

When she arrived at the Agreste manor, she found Adrien’s room empty. Tikki zipped around the room, looking for something, anything. It wasn’t long before she found it—Plagg’s stash of camembert. Seven wedges sat untouched in the minifridge. Moldy spots covered them, and the mold had already started spreading out onto the plastic beneath.

It was obvious Plagg hadn’t been here in weeks. So where was he?

And where was Adrien?


	4. Chapter 4

The next time Adrien woke, it was to a gentle hand sweeping through his hair. He flinched instinctively, eyes flying open to see… Ladybug?

She was kneeling next to him, smiling softly. It took a moment for Adrien to understand what he was seeing. Ladybug was here? Ladybug was here. But where was—he looked around frantically. There was no sign of his father. She seemed to sense his apprehension and made quiet shushing noises as she stroked his hair. 

Adrien tried to speak, but only a rasp came out, sending him into a coughing fit. It had been so long since he had used his voice to do anything but scream. Ladybug lifted him into a sitting position and rubbed his back until he could breathe easily. During the fit, the metal collar had rubbed harshly against his neck, and he could feel fresh blood starting to ooze from underneath it. A cup was lifted to his lips— _water_. 

Adrien drank greedily, the cool water soothing his raw throat. It was difficult to swallow, but he made it through most of the water before another fit of coughing took over. 

He shivered, the world spinning around him. He felt strange. Like everything was muted, an invisible barrier between him and the rest of the world. His ears rang, and the smell of sweat and blood was overpowering. Too much. Too much, and too little, and everything _hurt_. He tried to make sense of his thoughts, tried to focus on one thing at a time. 

Ladybug was here.

“My Lady,” he breathed. “How—what—”

“We’re safe, Chat.”

How? How could they possibly be safe? How did she get here? Where was his father? How did she know he was Chat Noir? How did she find him? Too many questions, too many variables, too much panic, too much—he was hyperventilating.

“Adrien.” She rested her hand on his chest, leaning forward to stare into his eyes. “Do you trust me?”

He struggled to calm his breathing. Talking was difficult, but he’d endure it for her. “Of course, My Lady.”

Ladybug wrapped her arms around him, letting his head rest against her neck and rubbing soft circles on his back. He realized he was shaking. Hot tears streaked down his face. It was too much, too gentle, too good to be true. Too good to be true.

Something was wrong.

Adrien pulled away, looking around the room again. Nothing had changed. 

“My father—Ha-Hawkmoth—he—”

“I know, kitty. Don’t worry, everything is taken care of.” 

What did that mean? What had he missed? She seemed so calm, but he couldn’t push past this feeling—wrong, wrong, _something was wrong_.

“Everything is okay. You’re safe now.” She caressed his cheek softly. “I want you to know how proud I am of you.”

A wave of guilt washed over him. How could she be proud of someone as stupid as him? It was his own fault he was here, his own fault that Paris had been plagued by Hawkmoth for so long. If only he had been smart enough to see it before. If only he had been strong enough to put a stop to it when he had the chance.

“You never gave in to Hawkmoth,” she continued. “I know he wanted you to give up my identity.”

“I tried to tell him that I didn’t know, but-but he wouldn’t believe me.” He coughed, more tears streaking down his face. 

She nodded, wiping the tears away with her thumb.

“You were right all along, Ladybug.” He tried to smile at her, but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. “It _was_ best to keep our identities secret from one another.” 

Ladybug seemed to freeze in place, an unnatural stillness that made Adrien’s breath quicken. Did she think he would’ve given her up if he’d known? Adrien reached out to her, his hand hovering in the air between them, unsure.

“Even if I knew who you were, I’d never tell him, My Lady.” Adrien swallowed painfully. He tasted blood. “I swear!”

After a few seconds, she pulled away and stood, her gentle smile disappearing. She stared down at him, a blank look that held none of the care she had shown moments before. 

“It seems he really doesn’t know, Sir.” Ladybug spoke strangely, almost formally. It was familiar, but… wrong. Adrien’s head was still spinning, the barrier between him and the world around him growing thicker by the second. Who was she talking to? 

Ladybug paused, nodding before turning and going for the door. It opened for her automatically. Adrien could’ve sworn he heard a flute, and her body seemed to shimmer as she left the room. Wait—was she _leaving him here?_

He tried to call out to her, but the words were stuck in his throat. Suddenly everything felt very heavy, and the room swam in front of him. He struggled to keep his eyes open, struggled to stay upright. 

He fell to his side, a small whine escaping him. He reached weakly toward the door Ladybug had just disappeared through.

She didn’t come back.

\---

Nathalie excused herself immediately after the debriefing, heading straight for the bathroom.

That wretched girl had been so smug about the whole thing, singing her own praises about how flawless her illusions were. How she could be so nonchalant about what was happening to the boy just down the hall, she’d never know. 

Then again, Lila hadn’t actually _seen_ Adrien.

Today was the first day Nathalie had seen the boy since Gabriel put him in the containment room. The suffering he must’ve endured… it was obvious Gabriel had been doing more than just talking with him during his visits.

She was a fool to have thought otherwise. 

Nathalie gripped the sides of the sink and looked up. The woman in the mirror was pale. Shaking. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, but she couldn’t get the image of Adrien out of her mind. He was so fragile, so broken—in more ways than one. It was a miracle the child had survived this long. Gabriel didn’t seem to take many precautions beyond the IV, which was providing just enough to keep Adrien alive. None of his wounds had been tended to, and Nathalie was sure some of them were infected.

So much suffering, and all for nothing. 

Her thoughts drifted to Gabriel. How he hadn’t reacted with any sign of guilt or remorse at the news that Adrien had been telling the truth, only irritation. Within minutes, he was already planning his next move, already thinking of what the next step would be.

Ladybug had proven time and again that she could handle herself no matter what Hawkmoth threw at her. Brute force, tricks, and strategy had never worked… 

The only leverage they had was Adrien. 

\---

Tikki raced back to the bakery. She had searched every room in the mansion. Mr. Agreste and the house workers slept soundly in their beds, but there was no sign of Adrien or Plagg. 

Marinette was still fast asleep when Tikki made it back. She considered waking her up and telling her right then, but… not yet. Tikki floated back and forth nervously, considering her options before settling on the pillow by Marinette’s head.

She could be reading too much into this. Chat Noir had been seen fighting akumas for weeks. There was probably a reasonable explanation as to why Adrien hadn’t been staying at his house. Maybe he _was_ sick—he could be staying in the hospital. That might explain why the fights ended before Ladybug could even make it there—it was hard to stay gone long from a hospital room without someone finding out. He might’ve just been getting lucky in figuring out how to reveal the akumas so quickly. What if everything was fine?

But what if it _wasn’t_?

It made sense for Adrien to just be staying in the hospital, but Tikki couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too… easy. Too much of a stretch for that to be the explanation for all this. Tikki couldn’t reveal the identity of _any_ miraculous holder unless given explicit permission by that person, but if something had happened to Adrien then she had to do _something_ …

In the morning, she decided. She would talk with Marinette in the morning, and they would figure this out together. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added a little bit at the end of the previous chapter, so if you haven't already read that please go back and read the last section
> 
> Blood, pain, torture, and possibly triggering thoughts and actions in this chapter--please read with caution!

It hadn’t been Ladybug. Just another trick.

Adrien didn’t know how, but the person who had come to see him had only looked like Ladybug. The realization came to him slower than it should have. Adrien had thought the most painful thing he’d ever experience would be the feeling of his skin searing under his father’s blow torch. 

He was wrong.

To have hope dangled in front of him and then snatched away… The wave of despair that washed over him was too much to take. A small part of him had believed she would come, that somehow things would turn out okay. Now he knew. This nightmare would never end. 

He wondered how long it would be until he died here. He wasn’t sure if he wanted it to come sooner or later. Adrien knew he wasn’t thinking straight. He was delirious from the pain, from the blood loss, from the fever he was sure he had and the drugs they’d no doubt been pumping into him from day one. Still. An end to this pain—any end—seemed better and better as time went on.

The door opened with a groan and Hawkmoth stepped into the room. Adrien didn’t look at him. He was followed by Nathalie, who was carrying a large duffel bag and a tripod. Adrien didn’t react until Hawkmoth wrenched the IV out of his arm. He hissed, jerking involuntarily at the sharp pain.

_That’s new._

Hawkmoth unhooked the collar from the chain and wrapped his fingers around it. He dragged Adrien across the floor, and Adrien choked around the pressure against his throat. 

He gasped for air when Hawkmoth placed him in the chair. Strong hands gripped him too tightly, and the zip ties cut into Adrien’s wrists and ankles as he was secured to the chair. Hawkmoth stood back, studying Adrien for a moment. 

Adrien still didn’t look at him. Instead, he glared at Nathalie. There was no doubt in his mind now that she had been the one to trick him. She avoided his eyes, setting up the tripod. Hawkmoth finally looked away from Adrien, bending over and pulling some things out of the duffel bag. 

A burlap sack, a strip of cloth, a roll of duct tape, and… a camera?

Hawkmoth passed the camera to Nathalie, who placed it on the tripod. The strip of cloth was shoved in Adrien’s mouth and secured with the duct tape. Hawkmoth wrapped the tape around Adrien’s head a few times, and Adrien couldn’t help thinking that it was a bit much. It wasn’t like he wanted to talk anyways with his voice so shredded. 

Hawkmoth stepped back and stared intently at Adrien again. After another few moments he reached back into the bag and pulled out a pair of scissors. Adrien couldn’t help cringing back when Hawkmoth came toward him, but he only cut away the remainder of Adrien’s shirt and tossed it in the bag. Hawkmoth nodded, seemingly satisfied, and put the sack over Adrien’s head. The last thing Adrien saw was Nathalie finally looking back at him. 

She seemed sad. 

A few minutes passed with nothing happening. There was only the sound of someone—most likely Nathalie—fiddling with some buttons on the camera. Part of Adrien wanted to pay attention, to try and figure out what was happening. Another part of him just wanted to block out everything completely—to hear nothing, to do nothing, to _be_ nothing. Maybe he’d get his wish; it was hard to breathe under the sack, especially with the gag. 

“Ready, Sir.”

“Excellent.” Muffled footsteps sounded, stopping at Adrien’s right. A ruffle of fabric against fabric, a moment of silence, and then a small click.

“This is a message for the so-called hero of Paris, Ladybug.”

_What?_

“As you can see here, I finally possess Chat Noir’s miraculous—as well as Chat Noir himself.” 

A hand rested on Adrien’s head. His breathing quickened; he felt lightheaded. 

“It’s come to this, Ladybug. Give up your miraculous, or Chat Noir dies.”

This was his plan to get to Ladybug—a ransom video. There was no way Ladybug could know where he was, no way for her to save him. She would have to give in to Hawkmoth or let him die. As much as he wished it wasn’t true, he knew Ladybug wouldn’t leave him to die. 

Hawkmoth was going to win. 

He was going to win, and Ladybug was going to get hurt, and the people of Paris were going to have no one to protect them, and this fucking maniac was going to have ultimate power at his fingertips— _and it was all Adrien’s fault_. 

Adrien thrashed in the chair, jerking his head out from under Hawkmoth’s hand and violently pulling his wrists against the zip ties. Something blunt smacked across his face, and his head whipped to the left. Everything was spinning and he paused to center himself. The ties cut into his wrists, blood flowing freely, but still they held tight. His breaths were stuttering in his lungs, his chest heaving, and Hawkmoth was still talking. Ladybug was going to see this. What could he do?

“Bring your miraculous to the Eiffel Tower before noon.” Adrien tried to yell, tried to tell Ladybug not to come, but it all just sounded like muffled groans. He shook his head emphatically, but then something slammed down onto Adrien’s right arm and he felt the bone shatter. Adrien screamed through the gag, nearly choking on the cloth. He thrashed again, but still the ties held. He couldn’t think, couldn’t focus on anything but the pain radiating from his arm. Sobs shook through him, and Hawkmoth spoke again. “Every hour that you wait will result in another broken bone. I wouldn’t wait too long, Ladybug. He doesn’t look too well.” 

There was another click, and then Nathalie said, “I’ll deliver the tape at midnight. They should air it in the morning.” 

Adrien couldn’t even try to focus on what they were doing now. His arm was a constant throbbing ache. He tried not to move so he wouldn’t make it worse, but he couldn’t stop shivering. Suddenly, he heard the groan of the door closing. They left him in the chair, the gag and sack still on him. 

He was nothing to them, he realized. Just a pawn to use against Ladybug. Just a means to an end. 

He didn’t know how to feel. 

Adrien tried to think, tried to make some sort of plan, but he couldn’t focus. The only thing that existed was pain and panic and the constant need for more air. He knew for sure now—he just wanted to die. Soon. 

The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. If he died, then Ladybug would have no reason to give up her miraculous. Maybe then everything he’d ruined could be fixed. Maybe then Ladybug would have a chance.

Adrien’s left hand twitched, pulling against the zip tie. He felt blood start to flow again and wondered how much blood he’d lost already. Now that he didn’t have the IV, he was probably feeling the effects of blood loss even more than before. 

_Wait._

Adrien turned his arm until his wrist was facing up and rubbing against the zip tie. He took a slow breath and yanked hard, rotating his wrist back and forth until the tie cut into his skin. He bit down on the cloth in his mouth, but he couldn’t stop the whimpers that came out. His arm was shaking with the strain. 

He kept at it until he was satisfied with the blood flow that he felt running down his wrist. Adrien relaxed the tension in his arm, trying to focus on his breathing. Everything felt strange, like he was floating. He fought to hold his head up.

Time passed. Any time he became aware that the blood on his wrist had congealed, he took a few deep, slow breaths and pulled against the tie again. After the fifth time, he realized he was too weak to move. Adrien’s head hung down, his chin resting against his chest, and at last he slipped into the dark.

He only hoped he had done enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments keep me writing :) thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

A loud beeping startled Marinette and Tikki out of their sleep. Marinette groaned and reached blindly for her phone in the dark, staring blearily at the screen. The first thing she registered was the time—5:47 a.m. The next thing she noticed was the source of the beeping—a notification from her news app.

_Breaking News: Hawkmoth releases ransom video._

Marinette jerked up, her sleepiness forgotten, and tapped the notification. The news app opened, showing a live feed of a reporter interviewing the chief of police. Marinette scrolled down, reading through the article with her heart in her throat. Tikki hovered just above her shoulder, reading along. Ransom video… Chat Noir… by noon today… _this couldn’t be happening_.

Three paragraphs down she found a link with a warning for potential viewers. She tapped the link shakily, and another video popped up.

“This is a message for the so-called hero of Paris, Ladybug.”

_Oh no._

Hawkmoth stood in a dimly lit room next to someone in a chair. No—not just someone. _Chat Noir_. Marinette felt her stomach drop at the sight; it looked like he’d been… _tortured_. So much, so much _blood_. Covered in bruises and cuts and—were those _burns_? He looked almost skeletal, his clothes shredded and hanging loosely off his body. A burlap sack covered his head. It didn’t escape her that the sack was the only thing on Chat’s body that wasn’t streaked with red.

“As you can see here, I finally possess Chat Noir’s miraculous—”

Hawkmoth held up his hand. The ring was there, on his finger.

“—as well as Chat Noir himself.”

 _No, no, no, no,_ no! _How did this happen?_

Hawkmoth lowered his hand, resting it on Chat Noir’s head. Marinette felt sick.

“It’s come to this, Ladybug. Give up your miraculous, or Chat Noir dies.”

A beat of stillness passed, and then Chat Noir jerked away from Hawkmoth’s hand. He writhed in the chair, struggling against his bonds but getting nowhere. Hawkmoth smacked his cane across Chat’s face. Marinette gasped, her hand covering her mouth. Chat stilled, his chest heaving as his head hung down against his chest. Hawkmoth turned his attention back to the camera.

“Bring your miraculous to the Eiffel Tower before noon.”

Chat raised his head again, shaking it back and forth. He was trying to say something, but it sounded like he’d been gagged. Hawkmoth stepped out of frame for a moment. He came back with his cane in one hand and a hammer in the other. Before Marinette could even process what was happening, Hawkmoth slammed the hammer down onto Chat’s right arm and Chat screamed. Marinette’s blood froze in her veins, waves of icy horror washing through her. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she watched him writhe in pain.

This had to be a nightmare. _Please. Please let me wake up._

“Every hour that you wait will result in another broken bone.” Hawkmoth gazed into the camera and smiled, seemingly indifferent to Chat’s sobs. “I wouldn’t wait too long, Ladybug. He doesn’t look too well.”

The video ended. Marinette swore her ears were ringing. Tikki was talking, but—but what was she saying? The phone slipped through her fingers, and the world distorted around her. _This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t—_

Marinette was breathing hard, but it still didn’t feel like she was taking in any oxygen. Hot tears blurred her vision as she tried to calm down, but she couldn’t _think_ —she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t—what was she going to do?

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Marinette closed her eyes and tried to focus on just breathing, but all she could see was Chat, and it was too much, too much, she couldn’t stop, couldn’t _focus_. She rocked back and forth, her fingernails digging into her scalp. God, she was actually going to be sick. No—no, just _breathe_.

_Breathe. Breathe. Slow down. Breathe._

Slowly, Marinette calmed enough to understand what Tikki was saying.

“—my fault, Marinette. I should have gone sooner!”

“Wh-what?” Marinette looked at Tikki, who had sat back down on her pillow. “Gone where?”

“I went to Chat Noir’s house last night. He wasn’t there, and it looked like he hadn’t been home in a while.” Tikki sniffed miserably. “A long while.”

Marinette swallowed thickly and wiped at her eyes. Another deep breath helped clear her mind a bit.

“This isn’t your fault, Tikki.” Marinette frowned. “There’s only one person at blame here.”

She reached for her phone, checking the time. Less than fifteen minutes since she’d been woken up, but Hawkmoth’s words echoed in her mind.

_Every hour that you wait will result in another broken bone._

The dread washing through her shifted, twisting into something else she couldn’t name. Marinette took another shaky breath and locked her phone.

“I’ve got to—I’ve got to think, Tikki. I’ve got to come up with a plan. Hawkmoth was right. It all comes down to this.”

Tikki gave her a sad smile, flying up to rest on Marinette’s shoulder. She touched her forehead to Marinette’s cheek for a moment and sighed before pulling away.

“You can do this. Remember, Marinette. You’re not alone.”

Marinette took another breath—stronger and steadier than before—and climbed out of bed. She crossed over to her closet, shoving aside several boxes and bolts of fabric before pulling out the Miracle Box.

“You’re right, Tikki. I’m not alone.”

\---

8:19 a.m.

There was still no sign of Ladybug at the Eiffel Tower—or anywhere else. Gabriel had been watching from afar, as had all the news stations and hundreds of civilians. The entire city seemed to be waiting, watching, holding their breath, and Nathalie was right there with them.

But she didn’t know how much longer she could wait.

After giving Lila her orders, Gabriel had retreated to the observatory to wait. It was unnerving how still he was able to stay for such a long period of time. Silent and unmoving, always staring intently toward the Eiffel Tower. Nathalie had tried to suggest that he eat something, drink something, even just sit down for a _moment_ , but the venom in his response was enough to silence her. She excused herself quietly, leaving him to his waiting.

She walked aimlessly through the house, trying to shake the heavy feeling in her stomach. Her thoughts kept going back to Adrien. He didn’t deserve this.

_Sometimes sacrifices need to be made._

He’s a child.

_He’s Chat Noir._

This was wrong. Everything— _everything_ they’d done was _wrong_. Everything _she’d_ done was _wrong_.

_You’re doing this for Gabriel._

Yes.

For Gabriel. It would all be worth it in the end.

Wouldn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. I feel like I say that every time I post. Sorry. Un-beta'd as always--let me know if you find any mistakes please! Thanks for reading <3


	7. Chapter 7

Within the hour, Marinette had spoken with the chief of police—as Ladybug, of course—to ensure they were both on the same page. He’d agreed to focus on keeping civilians as far from the Eiffel Tower as possible, and soon there was a guarded perimeter set up to do just that. 

Marinette had untransformed so she could scope out the area without drawing any unwanted attention. Two hours in, there were no indications that Hawkmoth was around, but she doubted he wanted her to just leave the earrings there for him to pick up later. No. He was watching. Waiting. 

What she did find was Alya. Front and center as always, waiting and ready with her phone to record at a moment’s notice. It was a Saturday, but Marinette knew that even if it had been a school day Alya would’ve been here just the same. 

With so many people crowded behind the perimeter, it was easy to slip a note into Alya’s purse without her noticing. Soon Alya arrived at the designated spot—a nearby alley, tucked away from any prying eyes—along with the others. When Marinette dropped from the roof and landed behind them, she was relieved to see that Luka and Nino had made it. 

“I texted them like you said, Ladybug.” Alya smiled. “What’s the plan?” 

\--- 

Nathalie hadn’t even realized she was headed for the containment room until she was already there. She hovered uncertainly outside the door, watching the screen that showed a live feed of the room. Adrien was still where they’d left him. Several minutes crawled by, and Nathalie couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was so still. 

In a jolt of impulsivity, Nathalie unbolted the door and pushed it open. She stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Adrien for any reaction. He didn’t move. She crept closer and slowly reached for the burlap sack. In one swift motion, she pulled it off. Adrien’s chin rested against his chest, his eyes closed. He was pale, paler than she’d ever seen him. 

“Adrien?” 

He still didn’t move. 

Nathalie dropped the sack and moved to stand in front of him. She went to check for a pulse but stopped short when she saw the state of his left wrist. The zip ties had literally cut into the skin, and she didn’t know how she hadn’t noticed all the blood. His left wrist was facing up, though, which wasn’t how they’d left him. That meant he… 

She’d known from the moment they’d found out Adrien was Chat Noir that he might die. She thought she’d made peace with it, thought she’d be able to stand by and be the same pillar of loyalty she’d always been for Gabriel. So why was she shaking? For a while now, she’d thought Adrien would die. 

But thinking something might happen and actually seeing it happen were two very different things. 

She ran. Everything was a blur until she found Gabriel, still staring out the window of the observatory. 

“Sir, it’s Adrien.” 

Gabriel turned, frowning. “I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t to be disturbed.” 

“He’s bleeding out!" 

“Nathalie,” Gabriel hissed. He stalked toward her, his face screwing up in a scowl. “I told you, we don’t need him anymore. We’re in the final phase of the plan. Now stop bothering me about things that don’t matter!” 

“But sir—” 

Nathalie’s head whipped to the side as Gabriel’s hand smacked across her face. Nathalie was frozen with shock. Gabriel had never— _never_ —hit her. A few tense seconds passed, and then Gabriel turned away and went back to the window. She didn’t move, keeping her eyes down. Her face burned. 

“Remember your place, Nathalie.” He folded his hands behind his back, continuing to stare intently out the window. “Now leave me.” 

Nathalie clenched her jaw, finally looking up to glare at the back of Gabriel’s head. She left without a word. 

\--- 

Everything was heavy. Heavy and dark and hazy. There was pain, but he felt almost separate from it. Separate from everything. Someone was—talking? No. Singing? He couldn’t make out the words, though. He saw flashes of someone, _someone_ —where was he? The voice rose, no longer singing, but he just wanted to rest. _Let me rest_. Something curled in his chest, a rising feeling of dread and urgency and—he was supposed to be doing something, wasn’t he? Who was talking? 

_Adrien. Don’t give up._

\--- 

Gabriel had put the Chat Noir miraculous away. Somewhere it would be safe just in case anything went wrong with the plan. Somewhere nobody else on the planet would be able to find it. 

Nobody else, except Nathalie. 

As soon as she slipped the ring on, the kwami appeared. He was skeptical, not to mention furious, as she explained the plan, but he seemed to finally realize this was his only chance and took the note. 

“Go. There isn’t much time.” 

He hesitated. “One more question.” 

Nathalie looked at the little creature expectantly. 

“Why are you doing this?” 

She was silent for a few seconds, mulling over her answer. “Let’s just say, I finally remembered my place.” 

\--- 

“Does everyone understand their roles?” 

The others nodded, watching Marinette for the go ahead. 

“Okay. This is it, then. Time to transform.” 

Marinette slipped the comb into her hair, combining the bee and ladybug miraculous as the others transformed around her. She searched their faces. Viperion, Carapace, and Rena Rouge stared back—but she could still see her friends beneath those masks. A bit of tension loosened in her chest at their determined expressions and she took a slow breath. If there was anyone she could count on, it was them. 

“Follow me.” 

The early morning sun cast long shadows across the city, and the group was careful to stick to those shadows as they circled the area. They perched atop a roof with a wall of nearby buildings to the east and a clear view of the Tower. Marinette scanned the area for a moment before addressing the others. 

“Remember, once we start, we won’t have much time—only about five minutes. We have to keep trying until we get this right. Hawkmoth absolutely cannot get the ladybug miraculous, but we also can’t stop until we get Chat Noir back.” She placed a hand on Luka’s shoulder. “This is going to be the most taxing on you. Are you sure you can handle it?” 

Luka’s eyes shone behind his mask. “You can count on me, Ladybug.” 

Marinette smiled. “I know.” She turned to Nino. 

“No matter what happens, you have to protect Viperion. No matter what happens to me, no matter what happens to Rena Rouge, no matter what happens to the city—you _have_ to protect him. As long as he’s okay, we still have a chance.” 

Nino swallowed, but his gaze didn’t waver. “I understand.” 

“Okay.” Marinette took a deep breath. “Okay. Everyone ready?” 

They all hummed in agreement, getting into position. Marinette tensed, preparing to give the signal to start, but then— 

“Ladybug, wait!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the wonderful comments lately!! They really motivate me to keep writing <3


	8. Chapter 8

“Plagg?!”

The kwami sped toward them, carrying a piece of paper in his tiny paws. He stopped inches from Marinette’s face and held the paper out to her.

“Ladybug, here. There’s not much time.”

She took the paper and unfolded it. A sentence was written on it in clear, precise handwriting, followed by a series of numbers, letters, and symbols.

**The one at the Eiffel Tower is an illusion**

**HM - 48.8359° N, 2.3365° E**

“I don’t understand.” Marinette looked up to search Plagg’s eyes. “How did you escape? Doesn’t Hawkmoth have your miraculous?”

Plagg started to answer, but only bubbles came out of his mouth. He groaned in frustration, shaking his head.

“It’s complicated. I can’t say _anything_ that would reveal a miraculous holder’s identity.” He chose his next words carefully, speaking slowly. “All I can say is that I was told to bring you that paper… it will help you… and it’s _not_ from Hawkmoth.”

Marinette looked to the others. They seemed just as shocked as she felt.

“I have to get back before he notices—” More bubbles drifted out of Plagg’s mouth. He huffed and turned to leave, flying a few feet before Marinette stopped him.

“Wait!” She walked to the edge of the roof where Plagg hovered, leaning forward and lowering her voice. “How… How is Chat?”

Plagg glanced away. “I don’t know for sure. But from what I… was told… he doesn’t have much time.”

_No._

“I have to go, Ladybug.” Plagg floated closer, resting his forehead against hers. “You can do this. We believe in you.”

He hovered backward and smiled, waiting for her to return the smile before flying away. Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She steeled herself and turned to the others, holding the paper up for everyone to see. A moment of silence passed as they studied the writing, and Marinette couldn’t make her thoughts slow down.

Who would send this to them? It had to be a miraculous holder, otherwise Plagg would have been able to tell them who it was. Could they trust this person? What if it was a trap? Plagg had said it would help them, though. Surely, he would have been able to give some kind of sign if it was a trap. _I have to get back before he notices_ —was _he_ Hawkmoth? If so, then Hawkmoth had no idea this note had been sent to them. Marinette focused back on the paper, and Nino spoke up.

“Coordinates.”

Alya gasped. “Of course! HM? It’s coordinates to Hawkmoth! To the _real_ Hawkmoth.”

She was right. For the first time ever, Marinette knew where Hawkmoth was. They finally had an advantage over him, and he didn’t even know. This was their chance—she was sure they would never get an opportunity like this again.

“Okay,” Marinette said. “New plan.”

\---

_You’ve been so brave._

The waves of urgency that had been washing through him had given way to exhaustion. Adrien just wanted the darkness to swallow him, but every time it started to swell he’d hear the voice again. It was becoming fainter as time passed. How long until he couldn’t hear it at all?

_Just a little longer. Don’t give up._

He would try.

\---

He hadn’t expected to wait this long.

Sure, he had given her until noon, but he’d thought the substantial threat to her precious partner would be enough to motivate a quick surrender. Apparently not.

Gabriel paced briskly in front of the window, his patience getting thinner by the second. This was ridiculous. Did Ladybug not take his threats seriously? He hadn’t thought following through on his promise to break one of Adrien’s bones every hour would be necessary, but maybe Ladybug needed a little nudge.

He turned from the window for the first time that morning. Nathalie had said the boy was bleeding out. That didn’t mean he couldn’t still get a reaction from him. Who knows? Maybe he wouldn’t need to bother putting any effort toward breaking bones. Certainly, a video of her partner bleeding out would be enough to spur Ladybug into action.

As Gabriel approached the door, his connection with Lila sent a rush of excitement through him. He turned back to the window, watching through the glass and through Lila’s eyes at the same time.

Ladybug.

She’d finally arrived. She used her yoyo to grapple up and land on one of the higher levels of the Tower. Lila was perched a bit higher up, hiding in the shadows behind a beam.

It was time. Finally, it was time.

Lila blew a few notes on her flute and the illusion of Hawkmoth’s form shimmered over her. She jumped, landing several feet behind Ladybug.

“So.” When Lila spoke, Hawkmoth’s voice rang clear. “Have you come to give up your miraculous?”

Ladybug spun around and clenched her fists. Her face was set in a hard frown, but after a few seconds the tension drained from her body. She took a few slow steps toward Lila and held her hands up, surrendering.

“Yes.”

Gabriel focused on his connection to Lila, watching intently through her eyes. He wanted to relish this moment. After everything he’d done, everything he’d sacrificed. Finally— _finally_ —victory was at hand.

\---

Five minutes.

That’s all they had.

Marinette watched as Alya sent the illusion of Ladybug to the Eiffel Tower. She waited for Hawkmoth to show up ( _no, not Hawkmoth, another illusion_ ) and turned to Nino and Luka. Luka slid the snake figurehead back to set the moment in time for second chance. Nino patted the bag slung around his shoulder—a last minute consideration for what might happen after the fighting was over.

Marinette placed the glasses on her face, combining the horse miraculous with the others she was wielding. Adrenaline surged through her, and she struggled to calm her trembling hands.

Five minutes.

She activated voyage and jumped through, rolling away from the portal as soon as she hit the floor on the other side. Nino and Luka followed, and the portal disappeared. She scanned her surroundings quickly. They seemed to be in a large observatory. Standing in front of the window, seemingly distracted for the moment, was Hawkmoth.

The heroes looked at each other and nodded. This was it.

Everything happened all at once. Nino activated shell-ter to protect himself and Luka. Marinette sprinted toward Hawkmoth and activated venom. A pulsing sphere surrounded her hand, the stinger glowing brightly in the semi-darkness. Hawkmoth whipped around to face her, but he was too late. She thrust the stinger into his chest, and Hawkmoth stiffened. His face was frozen in shock, his eyes staring directly into Marinette’s. A few tense seconds passed with no sound or movement in the room, everyone unsure what to do next.

Marinette reached for the butterfly miraculous, a brooch fastened at the center of his collar. Surely, it couldn’t be this easy? They’d been prepared for so much more. Was this really, truly over? She hesitated one moment more before grasping the brooch, hoping beyond hope that Hawkmoth didn’t have any last tricks up his sleeve.

The miraculous came off with little resistance, and Hawkmoth’s suit disappeared in a swarm of tiny, purple butterflies. Standing there, still immobilized, was Gabriel Agreste.

The three of them gasped, Marinette taking a step back in horror. Gabriel Agreste? _Adrien’s father?_ Never in a million years would she have guessed… and what did that mean for Adrien? There was no way he was working with Hawkmoth. Was… was he the one who had sent them the note? If so, then maybe he knew where Chat Noir—Chat!

Marinette turned to Nino and Luka. “Quickly, now.”

Nino tossed the bag to Marinette. She unzipped it and pulled out a pair of handcuffs, a length of rope, and a handkerchief. Just because he didn’t have his miraculous didn’t mean that he was powerless, and they weren’t taking any chances for when the venom wore off.

Once Gabriel was secured and blindfolded, they dragged him to the corner of the room and turned him to face the wall. Better safe than sorry. Her miraculous beeped, along with Nino and Luka’s—a warning that they would transform back soon.

She disconnected the bee and horse miraculous and pulled some snacks out of the bag for Pollen and Kaalki. They thanked her and nibbled on the snacks solemnly. Nino and Luka powered down, providing snacks for Wayzz and Sass, as well. Marinette hadn’t used her Ladybug power, so thankfully she didn’t have to transform back and wait around for Tikki to recharge.

“Where is Chat, Ha—Gabriel,” Marinette said coldly.

With the bee miraculous off, venom was no longer in effect, but still Gabriel didn’t respond. Marinette gritted her teeth, trying to stay as calm as she could.

“I said. Where. Is. Chat.”

“Why should I tell you?” He laughed, a dark, low sound. “What are you going to do? _Torture me?_ ”

Marinette spun around and walked a few paces away. Anger and desperation ricocheted around in her chest, and it was all she could do not to beat the absolute shit out of this man. They’d never get anything out of him. Plagg’s voice echoed in her ears.

_He doesn’t have much time._

She took a slow, deep breath and addressed the other two.

“I’m going to look for Chat. I know I can count on you two to make sure he doesn’t escape.” She headed for the only door in the room, pausing just before leaving. “Kaalki, could you… come with me?”

The kwami nodded, flying after her as she finished her snack. Marinette stepped into the hallway and started running. There were only so many rooms, right? She would find Chat on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting so little sleep these days I swear my brain is at like 40%, so please let me know if you find any mistakes or typos so I can fix them :)  
> Hope y'all enjoy this new chapter!! Thanks so much for all the nice comments <3


	9. Chapter 9

Marinette’s footsteps echoed sharply around her as she ran through the narrow hallway. She’d only passed a few rooms so far, each of them with no signs of Chat, when she came upon a reinforced door. Three thick metal bolts ran across the door and into the wall, and there was a crank mechanism where a handle should be. A little screen was embedded in the wall beside it, a grainy video showing what must have been a live feed of the room inside. It looked just like the room from the ransom video—and there, in the chair.

_Chat._

A renewed burst of adrenaline urged her forward. She rotated the crank counterclockwise, and the bolts retracted from the wall. Marinette pushed the door open, covering her mouth when the heavy scent of blood and sweat and something she did _not_ want to think about made her gag. The chair was facing the door, and she knew without a doubt.

They’d found him.

Marinette steadied herself and stepped inside.

“Chat?” He didn’t react from what she could tell. “It’s Ladybug. Are you awake?”

Marinette approached him, the nausea building as she scanned his body. His arms and chest were covered in cuts and blisters, bits of skin raised and peeling in different places from what looked like burns. His wrists were raw and bruised, and his broken arm was a deep purple. Cuts crisscrossed his legs, leaving his jeans in shreds. In his lap lay an envelope, labeled with neat handwriting.

**For Ladybug**

She picked up the envelope and felt a small weight inside. For a moment she wondered if it might be a trap, but it seemed to have the same handwriting as the note Plagg had brought her, and whoever it was had led her straight to Hawkmoth. She would open it later, though. Chat was more important right now.

“We’re gonna get you out of here, Chaton. I’m taking the bag off of you, okay?”

Marinette hesitated for only a moment. She was acutely aware of the fact that once she saw his face there was no going back, but she couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him like this for another second. She reached for the sack with trembling hands and pulled it off.

_Adrien?_

No, no, _no_. This didn’t make sense. Adrien couldn’t—there was no way that he—no.

Knowing what he’d looked like before made the differences that much worse. He was also paler and thinner than she’d ever seen him. Dark bruises painted his face, and a jagged scar ran from his cheekbone down to his jaw. He was gagged, and a metal collar was fastened around his neck. The skin there looked chafed and raw, bruises blossoming along the side of his neck and along his collarbones. The only thing that brought her relief was seeing that he was just unconscious.

She couldn’t wrap her head around it all. Adrien— _Adrien was Chat Noir_. So, Adrien _hadn’t_ been the one to help them. Who sent her the note, then? Who left this envelope for her? Marinette couldn’t believe, couldn’t understand how she was looking at _Adrien_ right now. Adrien? Adrien _Agreste_? Gabriel’s son, his _son, that monster had tortured his own_ —

Kaalki hovered closer. “Ladybug?”

Marinette shook her head. Now wasn’t the time. She had to focus, had to get him out of here. She could feel things later. Marinette scanned the room quickly, looking for anything she could use to cut the ties. There was a chain connected to a metal loop in the floor, a bucket in the corner, and a light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Nothing really to use. She couldn’t remember a time when she used her power for something that didn’t involve fighting an akuma, but there was no time like the present.

“Lucky Charm!”

A pair of scissors appeared, and Marinette was grateful for something straightforward for once. She tried to be gentle as she cut the ties away; when they were cut, she saw that his left wrist had started bleeding again. It was significantly more damaged than his other wrist, the blood flowing sluggishly but steadily from the wound. Adrien didn’t stir regardless. She couldn’t find a way to remove the collar; hopefully they’d be able to do so at the hospital. There was no point in wasting any more time trying to figure it out.

Marinette focused back on the gag. It looked tight—much tighter than it needed to be. She reached behind his head to untie it, but she ended up having to use the scissors to get it off. There was an indent in his skin where the gag had been secured, and blood stained his lips. She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. _Not now._

“Ready Kaalki?” The kwami nodded, and Marinette was grateful that the little horse didn’t mention the way her voice wavered. “Tikki, Kaalki, unify.”

Marinette activated voyage and picked Adrien up out of the chair. He was so light, and the slick feeling of the blood against his skin that she felt through her suit almost made her gag again. She made sure not to look too carefully at any of his wounds as she carried him through the portal. She couldn’t afford to fall apart right now.

Thankfully, Marinette was familiar with most of the hospitals in the city, so the portal transported them to the entrance of the best hospital in Paris. Marinette ignored the stares and gasps around her as she carried Adrien to the front desk. The nurse sitting behind the desk looked up, alarm evident in her expression, and stood up quickly. Marinette made sure her voice was strong when she spoke.

“He needs a doctor. Now.”

“Of course, Ladybug. Follow me.”

\---

The rest of the day passed in a blur.

Once Gabriel’s miraculous had been taken, Lila’s powers were gone. Alya had no trouble containing her and handing her over to the police. Though Marinette and the boys took extra precaution transporting Gabriel to the police, he didn’t resist. He stayed silent, staring at nothing while he was escorted out of the building.

Word of Hawkmoth’s capture had spread quickly, and the news that Hawkmoth was Gabriel Agreste had spread just as fast. When they exited the building, Gabriel in tow, there was already a throng of people waiting. Reporters and civilians alike were scrambling to get a glimpse, and the police were struggling to keep them back. The persistent flashes of cameras and the crowd’s deafening screams were disorienting, but they managed to get Gabriel into the back of the police car without trouble.

Marinette lingered before closing the car door. Adrien’s face, bloody and bruised, flashed through her mind. She made sure no one else was close enough to hear her and leaned in.

“He’s your son.”

Marinette had to make an effort not to flinch when Gabriel jerked his head up to stare at her. Gabriel’s eyes had been blank before, but now they held something feral behind them. He smiled, but he didn’t answer her. Several tense seconds passed between them before Marinette shook her head and backed away, slamming the door.

Once everything was taken care of with the chief, Marinette signaled for Alya, Nino, and Luka to follow her. As she grappled away with her yoyo, she glanced back to where Gabriel sat in the police car. He was still staring at her. Smiling.

The official story that she’d given the chief was that Adrien had been held captive by his father because he found out he was Hawkmoth. Chat Noir had reportedly also been recovered and was being cared for in an undisclosed location. It was the only thing Marinette could think to say so that Chat’s identity was kept a secret. Thankfully, he seemed to buy it; she hoped the same would be true for the city’s administration and the relentless reporters. It was what she’d told Alya, Nino, and Luka, as well, so the only wild card when it came to Adrien’s secret would be Gabriel.

The others were subdued while Marinette collected the miraculous. Marinette could tell they were struggling to process everything that had happened. Seeing her friends so distraught and uncertain… it left her chest heavy and hollow all at once. No one could blame them for how they were acting. Though they hadn’t seen Adrien for themselves, they knew he was in the hospital now. Knowing that their friend was hurt—on top of the stress of today’s events—was a difficult thing for anyone to handle. She hoped they would be alright. When Marinette thanked them for their help and turned to leave, Nino stopped her.

“Ladybug, please.” He swallowed thickly, eyes shining. “Is-Is Adrien going to be okay?”

How could she answer that? She really didn’t know. He’d gone into surgery as soon as she’d brought him in, and the doctors hadn’t been able to give her any kind of prognosis before she had to leave. She would come back, of course, but there were things she had to take care of. All she knew was where he would be staying while he recovered—assuming he survived the surgery. Marinette settled for squeezing Nino’s shoulder and offering the only encouragement she could.

“I hope so.”

With that, Marinette leapt away. Once the others were out of sight, her whole body sagged with exhaustion. She moved on autopilot, trying not to think of anything at all—and succeeding. Now that there was nothing left to take care of, now that she knew she could finally rest, she felt disconnected from everything around her. The city flew by her as a blur of color without meaning.

At some point, she was back home and lying on her side in bed. Marinette stared at the wall in front of her. She would’ve expected herself to be wide awake, to have her thoughts going a mile a minute, but she just felt dull. Like everything she was feeling was somehow muted. Like she was separated from her own body. Time passed. Or maybe it didn’t. The pillow beneath her was wet, and she couldn’t see clearly, and she didn’t know why.

Marinette wasn’t sure how long it had been since she got home, but she found her eyes drifting closed. If Tikki had spoken at all, Marinette hadn’t heard her. Now, she felt Tikki curl up against her neck. The kwami was a steady, warm pressure that Marinette used to ground herself.

The world faded to black, but she dreamt of red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've spent so long staring at my word document that I'm having trouble reading through this chapter for editing lol so I am so sorry if there are any mistakes. Please let me know if you find any and I'll try to fix them asap! 
> 
> Haven't felt well lately, so it was hard to finish this one, but I really wanted to get it out for you guys! Hope you're all staying safe. 
> 
> Again, thank you for all the lovely comments!! They keep me writing <3


	10. Chapter 10

When Maman woke Marinette the next day, she’d been asleep for over 20 hours.

Her entire body felt heavy, as if something invisible and dense was draped over her. Her head pounded, and Maman’s whispering sounded much louder than it should have.

“Marinette, dear, are you alright? You’ve been asleep for a long time.”

Marinette groaned and stretched. She was still exhausted, but she was hungry, too. She rotated between different excuses in her mind, settling on one she hadn’t used in a while.

“I’m alright, Maman.” Marinette cleared her throat; her voice was scratchy and thick from sleep. “Alya and I, uh, had a dance party with her sisters. It really wore me out. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

She felt a twinge of guilt in her chest. After being Ladybug for so long, she thought she might get used to it, but lying to Maman never felt good.

“Okay, then. When you’re ready, we’ve got some food leftover from breakfast. Papa is making something special to celebrate, too.”

Marinette lifted her head and looked down at her in confusion. “Celebrate?”

“Hawkmoth was captured yesterday, remember? You were asleep before Papa and I saw you, but I thought for sure you’d know. Especially since you were with Alya.”

Marinette shot up in bed. It all came back to her in a rush of adrenaline. Yesterday—that had all really happened. She looked at Maman, who was staring at her in confusion.

“Y-Yes! Of course, I remember.” Marinette laughed awkwardly, sighing in relief when Maman just smiled at her and shook her head. Sometimes, the reputation she’d earned for being ditzy and forgetful really came in handy.

Marinette returned her smile, but it faded as Maman left. She climbed down and sat at her desk, staring at nothing in particular for a moment and trying to calm her shaking hands. Tikki appeared after a bit, floating just in front of Marinette’s face.

“How are you feeling, Marinette?”

She took a slow breath, considering. “Strange. It… doesn’t feel real.”

Tikki nodded, but she didn’t respond; instead, she flew up and sat on Marinette’s head. It was comforting.

She needed to check for any news updates, but her phone was dead. She hadn’t thought to charge it yesterday, what with… everything. Marinette turned her computer on instead, and when the monitor powered up the background made her pause.

Adrien.

The image of him strapped to that chair flashed in her mind, and she tried to think of anything else. Memories of Chat Noir mixed with memories of Adrien, and she didn’t know how to feel. It was all too big, too much to wrap her mind around. If she’d found out under other circumstances, she might feel differently. Maybe she would be thrilled about it, or anxious, or excited. Now she only felt worried. She didn’t even know if he’d made it out of surgery.

Marinette opened her browser and checked for updates on the news. She skimmed through the articles from today, looking for anything she could find about Adrien.

_…stabilized…hours of surgery… severe injuries…malnourished…heavy sedation due to partial-thickness burns over 18% of…_

Marinette closed the browser. She couldn’t read any more. She changed her background to one of the default pictures—some random picture of a mountain—before shutting the computer down. She also took the photos of Adrien off the wall and put them in her desk drawer. It felt wrong, somehow, to keep those pictures of him up, now.

She needed to see him. In person.

She was plugging in her phone when she noticed the envelope sitting on top of her dresser—the envelope she had found with Adrien. Marinette picked it up and carefully weighed it in her hands. It seemed as innocuous as before. She looked to Tikki, who just shrugged.

Marinette took a deep breath and opened it. Inside was a folded piece of paper and—Chat’s miraculous! _Oh, thank_ _god_. They thought Hawkmoth had hidden it somewhere when they were unable to find it yesterday. She slipped the ring on her finger, and Plagg appeared.

Tikki gasped and flew into him, tackling him with a hug. “Plagg!”

He took a moment to take in his surroundings before looking at Marinette with alarm. “What happened?”

“We took down Hawkmoth,” Tikki squealed. “We couldn’t have done it without your help.”

“And Adrien?”

“He’s okay,” Marinette assured him. Plagg sagged with relief, relaxing into Tikki’s embrace as Marinette continued. “He’s in the hospital now. We’re going to see him today, actually, after… oh! We have another note from the person who sent you to us yesterday.”

She unfolded the paper, reading it aloud for them to hear.

**_Ladybug,_ **

**_If you’re reading this, then you’ve defeated Hawkmoth. I’ve enclosed the Chat Noir miraculous for you. Come to the coordinates below on Monday. I will leave the peacock miraculous for you there._ **

**_48.8584° N, 2.2945° E_ **

Marinette glanced at Tikki, and they shared a bewildered look. She sat down and reread the message to herself.

“The peacock miraculous… I assumed Mayura had it.” She glanced at Plagg. “Does that mean this person took down Mayura?”

Plagg shook his head. He seemed reluctant to speak.

Then it clicked.

“This person _is_ Mayura!” Marinette stood up again and started pacing. What did this mean? “But why help us? I thought she was on Hawkmoth’s side.”

Plagg opened his mouth. Like before, only bubbles came out. He groaned and tried again. “She just said… she’d finally remembered her place. Whatever that means.”

“Do you think she’ll really turn it over?” Tikki asked. “The miraculous?”

Marinette shrugged and looked over the note again. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

She hid the note in her desk alongside the pictures of Adrien. The two kwamis settled into a comfortable silence, resting on the chaise longue as Marinette gathered some clean clothes. She was sure they were just as anxious as she was to see Adrien, and she didn’t want to wait any longer than she had to. They’d worry about everything else later.

She took a quick shower before heading downstairs. By the time she made it to the kitchen she was starving. Papa was already there, mixing something in a bowl. He greeted her with a smile and a wave, and Marinette struggled to project an air of normalcy.

“What are you making, Papa?” She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a seat at the counter. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing already. There was a plate on the counter—leftover breakfast like Maman said. Her stomach growled audibly, and she pulled the plate toward her.

“Fraisier! And later I’m going to make some tarte Tatin. Do you want to help?”

Marinette swallowed a mouthful of strawberry and shook her head. “Sounds fun, Papa, but first I told a friend I would help them with some homework today.”

“Ah, that’s nice of you. Why don’t you take a box of petit fours with you? I accidentally made an extra batch this morning.”

Marinette smiled and finished eating. There was that twinge of guilt again.

“Thanks Papa.” She stood and washed her plate, giving him a hug before leaving. He smelled of freshly baked bread, and with his arms around her she felt safe. She didn’t want to let go. “It shouldn’t take too long. I’ll be back for dinner.”

“See you then, Mari.” He kissed the top of her head and went back to mixing.

Marinette made sure to give Maman a hug on her way out, as well. After she’d walked a few blocks, she found a place to transform and grappled to a nearby rooftop.

The hospital wasn’t too far away, especially since she could travel so quickly with her yoyo. She’d considered going to check on Adrien as Marinette instead of Ladybug, but she had a much better chance of getting to see him as Ladybug.

She stopped on the roof of the hospital and set down the box of petit fours, along with the backpack full of schoolbooks she’d grabbed to sell the lie. They’d be safe here for now.

Marinette recognized the nurse at the front desk as the same one from yesterday. She was nice enough, but when Marinette asked about Adrien, she explained that only immediate family members were allowed to visit patients in the ICU. Marinette bit her tongue. She wanted to argue that his only immediate family was _Hawkmoth_ , and _she_ was the one who brought him to the hospital in the first place—not to mention the fact that she had saved Paris _multiple times_ , so she didn’t think it was too much to ask for her to see him. The nurse was only doing her job, though. It wasn’t her fault.

“Please, is there any way you can you make an exception?”

The nurse—Brigitte, Marinette thought—pursed her lips and picked up the telephone at the desk. “Sir, Ladybug is here. She’d like to see a patient in the ICU.” She paused, listening.

“Yes.” Another pause. “Yes, but—Yes, sir.”

Brigitte hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. She was obviously exhausted. Marinette made a mental note to come back later with those petit fours and give them to her as a peace offering.

“Visits are limited to ten minutes per day. I’ll let the assigned medical team know that you’re coming.”

Marinette thanked her and followed the signs to the ICU. Another nurse met her at the entrance, gesturing for her to follow. As they walked, she updated Marinette on Adrien’s status. Nothing new, really. He was stable and recovering, sedated for now because of the pain. He wouldn’t be brought to consciousness fully for at least a week, maybe two. They were working closely with the police. Adrien would be a key witness for Hawkmoth’s trial. Marinette didn’t want to even think about that—it wasn’t for another few weeks, anyway. For now, Hawkmoth was in police custody, and Marinette had the butterfly miraculous. For now, they were safe.

When they made it to Adrien, the nurse left to give them some privacy. Marinette drew the blinds on all the windows before letting Plagg out of the little purse she’d brought with her. When he caught sight of Adrien, he let out a tiny, strangled sound that made Marinette’s heart ache. Plagg looked back at her, eyes pleading. She saw a mixture of emotions there—anger, grief, helplessness.

She knew how he felt.

Thinking of the boy in the hospital bed as Chat—as Adrien, even—felt surreal. He looked so pale and thin, so small, surrounded by medical equipment and machines. Tubes and wires obscured part of his face, but she could still see the deep purple bruises there. She could see that the gash on his face had been stitched up, as well. His neck was a raw, bruised mess, but thankfully they’d been able to get the collar off him.

The memory of him in that collar left fury curling in her chest, but as fast as it had come the anger dissipated. Plagg alighted on the pillow by Adrien’s head, and he nuzzled against the side of his face. Marinette swallowed thickly and stepped a bit closer.

Adrien’s right arm was in a cast. Bandages wrapped around his left wrist and up both his arms, and Marinette was silently grateful. The burns had been horrifying to look at when she’d found him; she didn’t know if she could’ve handled seeing them again. The scariest thing by far, however, was how still he was. She took comfort in the steady beep of the heart monitor.

After a few minutes, Marinette gathered the courage to place her hand lightly on top of Adrien’s. She thought of the Adrien she knew, and she thought of Chat, and she tried to reconcile those people with the boy before her.

Neither she nor Plagg spoke for the entire visit, and when the nurse returned, Plagg slipped back into her purse without a sound.

Marinette didn’t cry at the hospital. She didn’t cry on the way home, or while she helped Papa put the finishing touches on the tarte Tatin, or during dinner. She didn’t even cry when she retreated to her room for the night. It wasn’t until long after Tikki and Plagg had drifted off that something cracked in her chest. It clawed its way up her throat, trying desperately to force itself out all at once.

And she cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you find any mistakes! Thanks so much for reading and for the wonderful comments <3
> 
> also I have no self-control and I commissioned [another piece of art](https://fuckeduphufflepuff.tumblr.com/post/617874415663955968/is-is-adrien-going-to-be-okay-i-hope) for this fic!! solsticedraws on tumblr is an amazing artist, go give her some love!


	11. Chapter 11

Nathalie had staked out the drop spot for most of the day to make sure no one would see her. She didn’t think Ladybug would take any chances if it meant not getting the peacock miraculous, but she wanted to be sure. Besides, it gave her time to think. 

She’d spent hours going over everything in her head. The things she’d done for him. The things she’d sacrificed. Her time, her health, her peace of mind… She had been so stupid. So stupid and naïve, refusing to see through Gabriel’s act. Unwilling to admit that after all these years she was just another pawn in his game. Just like everyone else. 

Just like Adrien.

Adrien. She had done nothing to stop it. Even before the torture—the neglect, the abuse. All the time, making excuses. Believing that it was necessary, that it would be worth it in the end. She knew now. Nothing could possibly be worth what she allowed that boy to go through. She hadn’t wanted to see it, hadn’t wanted to face the truth of what she allowed to happen. 

Well. She was facing it now.

It wasn’t a long walk from the drop off point to where they were holding Gabriel. It was public knowledge that he’d be detained at the Maison d'arrêt until his trial. The security was intensive, but Nathalie had done her research. She was able to get access with little trouble. You didn’t work with the richest and most powerful people in the country on a regular basis—not to mention an actual supervillain—and not learn how to get what you want. No one seemed to recognize her. Surprisingly, once inside with a pass clipped to her lapel, no one gave her a second look. Then again, she had always excelled at blending in when she wanted to. 

Gabriel was being held in isolation—partly as a security measure and partly as a way to protect him. It wasn’t a secret that the grand majority of the population had been negatively affected by Hawkmoth’s actions. That included the prison population. 

It also made it easier for Nathalie to figure out how to get him alone. 

She didn’t need much time with him—only a few minutes. She waited until it was almost time for shift change between the guards assigned to his cell. As suspected, the guard was exhausted. When she explained that she had been sent to meet with Gabriel on behalf of the Ministère public, he didn’t question it.

When Nathalie stepped into the cell, Gabriel was standing, facing away from her with his hands clasped behind his back. Even here, even now, he was intimidating. 

“Nathalie.”

A beat of silence passed between them. 

“Gabriel.”

He turned, eyes shifting between her and the door. The guard was pacing in the hallway, checking his watch every now and then but not really paying attention to their conversation. Gabriel stepped closer, lowering his voice regardless. 

“It’s about time you showed up. Is everything in order?”

Oh. Of course. They had established a plan long ago on what to do if he were ever caught. He thought she was here to help him escape. She suppressed a smirk.

“It will be soon.” 

He hummed, keeping his eye on the guard. “Do you have the miraculous?”

Nathalie steeled herself. It was now or never. She cleared her throat, clenching her fists and taking a slow breath. “You will never see a miraculous again.”

Gabriel stiffened before shifting his focus to Nathalie. His eyes were piercing—cold and unwavering—and Nathalie forced herself to hold his gaze. He stepped closer, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face as he spoke.

“What did you say?” 

“You heard me.” She too another slow breath. “And you will never touch Adrien again.”

Gabriel seemed frozen in place. Seconds passed, and then his face twisted into a scowl. He pushed Nathalie backward, making her stumble. His hands clamped around her throat, pushing her further back. Her head smacked against the wall behind her, and she struggled for breath as he held her there. 

“It was you,” he seethed. “You did this!”

For a long, terrifying moment, the only things that existed were Gabriel’s furious eyes boring into her and the desperate, primal need for air. Then, all at once, the guard appeared and wrestled Gabriel to the ground. Nathalie staggered to the side, gasping for air and shaking uncontrollably. She looked up to see Gabriel pinned beneath the guard, who was frantically calling for backup through the radio strapped to his shoulder. Gabriel was thrashing wildly, hands scrabbling for purchase as he fought to grab her again. Over the ringing in her ears, she registered that Gabriel was still screaming wordlessly.

He soon realized he wasn’t getting away from the guard, and his movements slowed. Nathalie saw a smile creep across his face. He relaxed into the floor, lightly knocking his head against the concrete before stilling and glaring up at her. Somehow his stillness was even more unsettling than his desperate attempts to grab her. He chuckled, and the sound sent chills up her spine. “I should’ve known. All this for that _brat_?”

Nathalie swallowed painfully, but she didn’t respond.

“You think you’ve saved him?” Gabriel’s voice was so low, she almost couldn’t make out the words. The smile dropped from his face. “You haven’t.”

Nathalie felt the blood freeze in her veins, and time seemed to stretch around them. This wasn’t what she’d wanted. Nathalie had come here to make sure Gabriel acknowledged how grossly he underestimated her before leaving him to face the consequences of his actions. It had seemed like the right choice at the time. She could see now—he was too far gone. Too obsessed, too deranged. He would never stop, and Adrien was back in his sights. Because of her.

Nathalie could hear footsteps coming down the hall. Soon guards would swarm the room, and there was no chance of her getting this close to him ever again. Gabriel’s words echoed in her mind, and she couldn’t shake the memory of Adrien from the last time she saw him. The world was rippling, sounds of yelling and harsh breathing mixed with the pounding in her head, and how could she leave when she knew Adrien was still a target? How could she leave if there was even a chance that Gabriel could somehow escape? How could she let _herself_ get away without consequence? 

Everything happened so quickly.

She ripped her gaze away from Gabriel and moved closer, snatching the guard’s gun from its holster. There was a click and a bang, and her ears were still ringing, and something heavy clattered to the floor. There was an aching _something_ expanding in her chest, matched by the fog that clouded her mind, and she fell to her knees. Red, red, red spilling across the floor, and the footsteps were louder. Several people were yelling. Strong hands pulled her up, and everything was a blur as she was escorted from the room. 

Maybe he would be safe now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait between chapters. I swear I'm trying to write, but I'm just having a lot of trouble with it lately. Thanks for your patience. I hope you enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

Marinette was exhausted.

She silenced the alarm on her phone and sighed, covering her eyes with her forearm. She  _ really  _ didn’t want to get up. After some encouragement from Tikki she managed to pull herself out of bed and start getting ready, but she felt herself dragging a bit more than usual. Her mind kept drifting back to Adrien.

_ Just breathe.  _

By the time she finished getting ready, the smell of breakfast was already wafting up from downstairs. The aroma of freshly baked bread made her mouth water. With a promise to bring some food back upstairs for the two kwamis, Marinette headed down to the kitchen.

The morning news was playing quietly in the background, and Marinette’s parents were chatting amiably. Maman sat at the counter, nursing a cup of fruit juice. Papa stood on the other side of the counter arranging brioche buns on a pastry stand. He smiled at Marinette as she approached, stopping to place a few buns on a plate. He offered them to her before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. 

“Thank you, Papa.”

He hummed cheerfully and went back to his work. Marinette took a seat and ate slowly. The brioche was delicious, and the pleasant atmosphere made her feel a bit better. Maybe as the day went on she would—

“Tom, turn up the volume,” Maman said. The urgency in her voice made Marinette’s chest tighten, and she turned her attention to the television as Papa complied.

“...breaking story. Fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste, recently revealed to be the supervillain Hawkmoth, has been murdered while in police custody.”

_ What?  _

“The incident is currently under investigation, but Chief Lallement reported that an individual has already been arrested in connection to the murder. More details are to be revealed this evening at a press conference with—”

The reporter’s voice faded out as Marinette slipped upstairs. This couldn’t be real. It  _ couldn’t  _ be, there was just no way… how? Who would—who  _ could  _ do this? Should she be upset or happy? She didn’t know what she felt, much less what she  _ should  _ feel. Marinette sat heavily on the chaise longue and held her hand to her chest. 

“Marinette, what’s wrong?”

Marinette took a breath and looked up to see Tikki hovering a few feet away. “Hawkmoth.” She paused and rubbed a hand over her face.  _ This couldn’t be real. _ “Mr. Agreste. He—he was killed.” 

Tikki gasped, covering her mouth with her tiny hands. Plagg flew down from Marinette’s bed, eyes wide and serious. 

“What?” He floated closer, studying her intently. “By who?”

“I don’t think they’ve released any names yet. Do you—do you think it was Mayura?” 

Plagg didn’t answer. Marinette sat for a moment, trying to process. She grabbed her phone and opened the news app, searching for the most recent update. Plagg and Tikki read along over her shoulder.

_ Incident at the Maison d'arrêt… allegedly shot Agreste in the head… passed before medical assistance could arrive… one suspect in custody… more information to come…  _

She groaned, tossing the phone to the side and holding her head in her hands. After a moment, Tikki landed on her knee and patted her gently. “Are you okay?”

Marinette sighed. “I don’t know. I’m just confused. Part of me feels bad, but...” She peeked at the kwami through her fingers. “Part of me also feels… relieved? Does that make me a bad person?”

Plagg let out a huff and crossed his arms. “Absolutely not. I’m only upset that  _ I _ couldn’t be the one to kill him.”

“Plagg!”

“What? Come on, Tikki. He was a bad person—more than that, he was an  _ evil  _ person. He deserved worse, honestly.” 

Tikki gave him a disapproving look and turned back to Marinette. “What you’re feeling doesn’t make you a bad person, Marinette.”

Before she could respond, Maman called up from downstairs. “Marinette! Hurry, or you’ll be late!”

Marinette let out a little whine. “I can’t imagine going to school and trying to act normal today.”

“Then don’t go.”

“You don’t have to act normal,” Tikki assured, ignoring Plagg’s comment. “I’m sure everyone in Paris has been affected by the news. You can do it, Marinette.”

She gave Tikki a grateful smile. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. All I have to do is show up, really.”

Marinette stood and picked up her backpack. As she was gathering her things, she paused briefly to stare at her desk. The note… today was Monday. She finished putting everything away and crossed over to the desk, opening the drawer and grabbing the note. Marinette studied the page for a moment, then glanced down. Pictures of Adrien were still scattered at the bottom of the drawer. Something heavy settled in her chest, and she closed the drawer. Marinette folded the note in half and placed it in her purse. She let Plagg and Tikki slip in, as well, before going downstairs. 

Maman and Papa were still in the kitchen, watching the news and whispering to one another. Marinette grabbed the buns she’d left on her plate and hugged them both, but before she could leave, Maman pulled her aside. 

“Marinette.” Maman held her at arm’s length, studying her face. “You know that if you ever need anything—if you need to talk or, or  _ anything _ —Papa and I are here for you. You know that. Right?”

Marinette blinked, unsure how to respond. “O-Of course, Maman.”

She watched Marinette closely, seemingly searching for something in her expression. An awkward moment passed and Maman sighed, gently patting Marinette’s cheek. “Alright, dear. Have a good day at school.”

Marinette nodded, offering a small smile. She gave Maman another hug and left.

\---

The whole school had to attend a morning assembly. Mr. Damocles encouraged everyone to focus on their schoolwork. He also reported that a school psychologist would be on site all week, offering counseling services to anyone who might need it. Some kids requested sessions. Most didn’t.

The rest of the day passed in a strange haze. The atmosphere of the entire building felt different than it had the Friday before. Everything felt surreal; even the teachers seemed out of it. For a reason no one could name, everyone spoke softly, if they spoke at all. Everyone was subdued, distracted.

Especially Nino.

Marinette and Alya stayed close to him throughout the day. He was worried sick over Adrien. Distracted and distant. She couldn’t blame him; she was barely holding it together as it was. 

The hardest thing was hearing bits and pieces of different conversations throughout the day. Some kids spoke of Gabriel’s death and his murderer. Others theorized about what had happened to Chat Noir while in captivity, or how he was captured in the first place, or where he was now. Mostly, though, people were worried for Adrien. 

By the last class of the day, Marinette was completely drained. All anyone talked about was Hawkmoth and Chat Noir and Adrien. She couldn’t focus on her work, couldn’t stop thinking about Adrien. Remembering the way he had looked in that chair, covered in blood and bruises and grime. 

The final bell was a relief. 

She visited Adrien in the hospital as Ladybug again, taking comfort in the steady beeps of the heart monitor. Plagg curled against Adrien’s neck, resting there until it was time to leave. After, Marinette swung aimlessly around the city for a while. She ended up atop the Montparnasse Tower, watching the sky. Once she felt ready, she pulled the note from her purse and determined where she should go. 

Of course. The Eiffel Tower. 

When she arrived, she searched several levels before finding it tied to the underside of a beam: an envelope with  **Ladybug** written on the front. Inside was the peacock miraculous, a flash drive, and another note.

**I’m sorry. Please, tell him I’m sorry.**


	13. Chapter 13

The next couple of weeks passed by in a blur. 

The flash drive contained hundreds of files--receipts, logs, statements, and even video footage--that linked Gabriel to Hawkmoth. The files also revealed Nathalie Sancoeur and Lila Rossi as having known about and participated in several of Gabriel’s crimes. Marinette turned it over to the police as soon as she realized what it was, and within 24 hours both Nathalie and Lila were charged as accessories to treason, terrorism, and child abuse, among other crimes.

It was also announced that Nathalie had been the one to murder Gabriel, though no one fully understood why. She had yet to speak a word since being arrested except to plead guilty to all charges. Her trial was over quickly. Life in prison. No parole. 

Lila claimed she was being framed, of course, but the evidence was undeniable. Her trial lasted for days as lawyers argued over an appropriate sentence for a juvenile who had committed such serious crimes. She was ultimately sent to a juvenile detention center; after her 18th birthday, she would serve the rest of her 20-year sentence in prison. 

Marinette visited Adrien as much as the hospital allowed. She’d become comfortable with the smells and sounds of the hospital, but she didn’t think she’d ever get used to seeing him like that. When the nurses told her he would be sedated for only a few more days, she wasn’t sure if she was more relieved or nervous. Plagg and Tikki tried to reassure her, but she couldn’t help feeling apprehensive. 

How much pain would he be in? Would he be upset with her for taking so long to find him? How would he take the news about Gabriel’s death? Would he even want to see her?

She didn’t know. 

Marinette continued to patrol regularly. It felt strange to patrol after everything that had happened, but the thought of stopping completely was worse. Running along the rooftops of Paris, swinging between buildings and almost feeling as if she could fly--it helped ease the tightness in her chest that always built up over the course of the day. Going back to the way it was before seemed unthinkable, but... Marinette often wondered if Paris even needed Ladybug now that Hawkmoth was gone.

A scream rang out in the silence of the night. Marinette’s head whipped toward the sound, and she leapt off the roof she had been resting on. She heard another scream, but it cut off abruptly. She swung through the city, scanning the streets below. 

Not far away she spotted it: a man dragging a woman toward a van. Marinette swung down, landing between them and the van. The man turned around, his arm still hooked around the woman’s neck, and his eyes widened. Normally Marinette would make some kind of clever comment--banter was a common part of hero work, after all--but she couldn’t bring herself to do that. Something about the wild, frightened look in the woman’s eyes.

“Let her go.” 

The man hesitated, eyes darting between Ladybug and the van behind her. A tense moment passed, then Marinette heard the van door slide open. She turned to see another man holding a pistol that was trained on her and snapped the yoyo in his direction. He yelped as it smacked against his hand. The pistol clattered to the ground several feet away. 

A grunt sounded behind her and she turned to see the first man throw the woman to the side and dart toward the pistol. Marinette threw the yoyo so it wrapped around his legs and yanked, making him fall hard on his face. He didn’t move after that. She turned back to the man by the van. He swung a fist at her, but she dodged easily and sent a kick straight to his head. He slammed against the side of the van and fell to the ground with a dull thud, and then the only sounds were the harsh breaths of the woman nearby. 

Marinette wound the yoyo back to her. Neither of the men moved, both of them seemingly unconscious for now. She took a slow breath and turned to the woman. She was shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks, but she didn’t seem physically hurt. Marinette walked over slowly and bent down, offering a hand to help her up. The woman blinked wordlessly at her a few times, then accepted the hand and stood up shakily.

“Are you hurt? Do you need me to take you anywhere?” 

The woman shook her head, and Marinette smiled softly at her. She patted the woman’s hand before turning back to the men and the van. She looked inside the van, seeing duct tape and rope, and pushed down the anger that burned in her lungs. Grabbing both, she went to work on securing the men to a nearby lightpost. When she finished, she sent an alert to the police. The woman was still standing where she’d left her, gaze trained on the ground, and Marinette approached her again.

“Ma’am?”

The woman looked up quickly, almost as if startled out of a trance. She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks with her sleeve. 

“I’ve alerted the police. They should be here soon. You’ll need to stay and give a statement. Are you okay with that?”

The woman nodded. “Thank you, Ladybug.”

“It was no trouble. Those guys were nothing compared to an akuma. I’m just glad I could help.” 

Marinette turned to leave, but a gentle hand on her shoulder held her in place. 

“No, seriously. Without you there’s no telling what could have…” The woman sniffed again, eyeing the unconscious men nearby before looking back into Marinette’s eyes. “Thank you.” 

Marinette felt something in her chest loosen. She smiled at the woman again. “You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seeing all the new comments, I had to put out another chapter, even if it was a short one. Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
